Howdy everyone!
Hope You all are doing well in this awesome day!
Like every other day, I am back with another topic. Our today’s guest is really social. Which means they are always willing to stick by their group.
It’s like my group, my rules!
Any guess about today’s guest?
Let’s not make you guys wait and introduce you guys with our beautiful guest
The Anthias!
If you have no idea about this fish, Don’t worry!
I got you my friend!
Anthias are saltwater based reef fish who are
mostly known for their social behavior.
But only social behavior is not enough to describe them. They have other unique qualities to them too.
Don’t worry I am here to tell you guys about this all.
So shall we start?
Anthias are mainly reef oriented fish who usually sticks around in a group , roaming around the reef area’s.
What do you think? How much members are added to their group?
Two? Four? Eight?
Well if I say, they roam around in large groups! Large means really large. And what is interesting here is that
They usually form two types of group.
One is usually build with a powerful male and along with a lot of females. And the other group is usually build with a group of rejected males by the females. Sort of cruel right? But this is how the social life of this fish works in the wild.
Another interesting factor about this fish is , they have one similar quality with the Clownfish. Can you guess?
Well incase you don’t know or haven’t read about the blog of mine about Clownfish, Let me explain it to you guys!
Clownfish can change it’s gender. Which means they all are born as males and the most big and dominant one usually turns into a female! Wired behavior of them but this is how the gender system works for the clownfish.
Anthias has this nature in–built into them to but there is a small twist. Anthias are all born female. Which means Clownfish are all born male and the Anthias are all born female.
And eventually the most dominant and powerful female turns into a male which has all the qualities of a male.
Usually here is a color difference found in between them when they became fully functional male or female. Usually the male has more of a Red type vibrant coloration with Yellowish fins.
And the female usually have orange coloration with a really bright purple eye.
Usually this schooling fish is considered as a calm species. As they usually don’t harm other fishes or any corals as long as they are well feed. You always need to keep them well feed in order to not making them aggressive towards other fish.
Usually in the wild this fish will swim around those areas where the flow of the water is high. They swim by those areas and what comes into their mouth with the flow, they take it as their food.
But the aquarium they can be feed aquarium flakes and plant materials.
Usually as this fish are community fish, while keeping them in aquarium , My recommendation will be to keep atleast 4 of them. One male and along with other females will do good.
If you are planning to keep only one Anthias, I believe a 75 gallon tank will do well in general.
In general this fish can size up-to 4 to 7 inch’s and they can live up-to 2 to 5 years in general. Which is not that much to be honest but not less at all.
One unique quality of them is that, if the responsible male dies, one female can turn into males and take the responsibility to maintain the gang.
I Find this nature of this social fish really cool!
If you are planning to have a saltwater tank or you already have a saltwater tank, you can add them as your aquariums new social group!